Stone Cold
by Year of the Peacock
Summary: Bolin was never as naive as Mako thought growing up; in fact, he was MUCH more aware than ANYONE gave him credit for. Much darker and colder than anyone realized. One-shot stories, less than 1000 words each. Hints of Bolin/Asami.
1. Chapter 1

**Stone Cold**

* * *

_"Just do as I said, and your brother will be safe. Got it?"_

He didnt have a choice, did he? After all, the hazing punishments for screwing up on Triple Threat Triad business was infamous. He didnt want his brother to get hurt again. Lightning Bolt Zolt was legendary for his punishments. "First time's a warning. Second time's a scar. Third time's a limb." Those were the rules.

His brother already has a scar. It took weeks to heal up, infection and all. He couldnt let something worse happen.

Earthbender Ton Lee said his brother had messed up a third time. Third time's a limb. He would do anything to keep his brother from harm.

_"Anything?"'_

Anything.

So there he was. Staring down at a middle-aged man who was crying and begging for mercy. Ton Lee said, "Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. Limb for a limb. You want to save your brother? Take it from him."

The man's cries for mercy almost made him quit. But he had to save his brother. Ton Lee showed him how to do it. He clenched his hand, stone encasing the man's arm to the elbow. He paused only for a moment to collect himself, then Earthbent the stone under the man's upper arm into a jagged slice, severing it from the shoulder.

Then turned and vomited at the sight.

Ton Lee clapped him on the back and said he had spunk.

Mako was saved.

When he came home to their little abandoned corner of a condemned warehouse, Mako fussed and chastised him for being out and worrying him. Bolin only smiled. Smiled like it was no big deal. He was just the little brother, seven years old and innocent to what Mako did, right?

Mako was safe. That was all that mattered.


	2. Chapter 2

Bolin knew that Mako worried too much. Worried about keeping their little corner of the warehouse neat enough to sleep in. Worried about getting food and clothing. Worried about bringing some money in so they wouldnt have to keep stealing.

Worried about keeping Bolin blind to what the streets were like after dark.

Bolin humored Mako, seeing that Mako seemed happier when Bolin WASNT looking on at a beating one of the Triple Threat was giving someone, or grubbing around for food in the food district's waste bins. So he said nothing, sat back, and waited for those moments when Mako was either asleep or otherwise occupied with other things before heading out on his own.

Ton Lee was the only Earthbender Bolin could look up to. Rather, the only Earthbender who bothered to tolerate his presence for an extended period of time. Ton Lee taught him the basics of Earthbending, and the best techniques for capture, restraint, and even torture.

After Bolin proved himself that first time, when it came down to saving Mako, Ton Lee told him Bolin could earn benefits in the Triple Threat Triad if he honed his techniques and did some work on the side. He was young, Ton Lee said, but he had real potential.

And for the first time, Bolin felt pride. Someone expected something more of him as more than a dirty street boy. He didnt want to dissappoint Ton Lee.

But he also couldnt seem to bear the cries of the people Ton Lee told him to hurt. Blood always made him throw up. Seeing people weep made him tear up.

So Ton Lee told him that he had to harden his heart, or anyone with a sob story could break it. If he hardened his heart, made it as hard as the earth he bent, then he could do anything.

Bolin didnt know what he meant until months later. He came home to find Mako unconscious from a blow to the head and two men pilfering anything of value from their little hideaway. He was angry, and he used the subduing techniques Ton Lee taught him to knock them down and bind their hands to the ground. He broke their hands with the rock, covering his ears with his hands to tune out their screams of pain.

Even through his hands, he could hear them beg for mercy. He could hear them scream out apologies and promises to leave and never come back. Bolin paused, taking his hands from his ears, taking it into consideration...

...But then he saw his big brother lying on the floor, a bloody knot on his head from the blow those men dealt. His fists clenched, the stone around their hands shattering their already broken bones.

_"Harden your heart,"_ Ton Lee said. _"Or any sob story can break it."_

Bolin's jaw tightened with resolve, his eyes turning ice cold. He raised his hands, and bent the earth to his will.

* * *

Mako was so relieved to find Bolin safe, knowing that the younger brother had just gone to watch the street performers and hadnt seen the men who broke into their little piece of home. He just said he hit his head, and that it was no big deal. Why ruin the illusion of safety for his little brother?

Bolin just smiled and nodded like it was the truth. Mako was happier this way.

That was all that mattered.


	3. Chapter 3

"Thanks, but we dont do the illegal stuff," Mako said, speaking for the both of them. Bolin just stood back and waited for Mako to negotiate out a more legal job deal, giving off the impression that he was generally uninterested and lazy about the matter.

It came down to running a package downtown for twenty-five yuans. Pocket change for the everyday folk, Mako knew, but just enough to make ends meet for the week. In a typical 'Bolin-ish' fashion, Bolin yawned, stretched, and dramatically called the delivery a hard-day's work done, and asked if they could get noodles this week. Mako restrained himself from snapping at his 13-year-old brother's lazy naivete, and instead said maybe next week.

Bedtime was early that night; Mako had a headache and Bolin feined excessive laziness from the 'hard-day's work'. Bolin waited patiently until he heard Mako's unmistakeable deep-sleep breathing, then silently slipped out of their room and out the window, jumping down to the ground, landing in an almost ninja-like fashion before darting off into the night.

Shady Shin welcomed him expectantly, having taken over as 'mentor' from Ton Lee, who had been shipped off to a prison in another Nation. The others had been ready to have nothing to do with Bolin since only Ton Lee bothered, but Shin knew what Bolin was capable of, and eventually made acquaintences with the boy, giving him the attention the others neglected, and even gave him higher-paying jobs.

"You're getting better at playing the fool," he said, smirking at Bolin. Bolin's everyday blasé expression hardened into cold stoney seriousness.

"It was you who said showing one's true motive is weakness," he replied cooly. Shin laughed.

"That I did," he said, crossing his arms. "Unfortunately, your brother insists on wearing that noble heart of his right on his sleeve. He could learn a thing or two from you."

"Mako does what he thinks is best," Bolin interjected. "And I do what I think is best. And what I think is best is making him think I'm naive to the real world. It keeps him happy."

Shin shrugged, making a 'whatever' gesture. "If you say so, Bolin," he sighed. "But I also do what I think is best. And what I think is best is you tracking down money that's owed tonight." He slipped Bolin a slip of paper. "He's late on his payments. For the third time."

_Third time's a limb._

Bolin nodded, pocketing the slip of paper and walked out without another word. Shin waited until the door shut behind him before letting out a shudder. Ton Lee had taught that boy well. TOO well. It was unnerving to see a 13-year-old with such...coldness. Heartlessness. A mask he himself should be proud of.

He didnt have to wait long before Bolin returned with a wad of yuan bills. Bolin tossed Shin the wad and waited for Shin to count out a cut for the retrieval work.

"Always a pleasure doing business, Bolin," he said, watching as the boy pocketed them money. "And I gotta wonder...when are you joining the Triad officially?"

Bolin scoffed. "Never," he replied. "Mako doesnt want me to. I'm fine with what I do now." Then, as though a switch had been flipped, his eyes thawed, and the happy-go-lucky naive grin graced his features. "See you next week!" With that he left.

* * *

"Aww, Mako, I wanted to sleep in today...!"

Mako bit back a growl of frustration and pulled the blanket off of Bolin. "Stop being lazy, Bo, we have some work to do! You WANT those noodles next week, dont you?"

"Fiiiiiiiiine," Bolin groused, sitting up. He wasnt very hungry; he'd bought a bowl of noodles a few hours ago after 'work' at the 24-hour diner. "...But I want dumplings instead."


	4. Chapter 4

Pro-Bending did have it's perks, he had to admit. It wasnt mercinary work, but at least he still got to break some bones. The fangirls were a great perk, too.

The 16-year-old stretched out after an invigorating session with a particularly enthusiastic fan who would no doubt have her own story to tell among the others who had the privilage of gracing his bed. Or theirs. Or the hotel. Or even the locker room, he wasnt very picky.

He dressed himself and walked out of the hotel room, leaving a few more hour's worth of yuans for the girl still asleep in the room as a courtesy at the front desk, then headed back home.

Mako, naturally, was blissfully unaware of Bolin's newfound taste of Pro-Bending perks, having somehow deluded himself into thinking Bolin was just simply flattered by girl's attentions instead of playing eeny-meeny-miny-mo with the group to pick who would be the next notch on his headboard. He was hormonal and sixteen, not some prepubescent virgin. He had to physically restrain himself form laughing when Mako sat down and had 'The Talk' with him, and what to do when the girls 'lied' about having bedded Bolin of the Fire Ferrets for fake bragging rights.

About a year too late, bro, but an A for effort.

But really, not even HALF the girls he managed to bed even came forward. Amazing, really, what a wad of hush-money could accomplish. But even that didnt ward off Mako's warnings of not getting too emotionaly caught up in the fan hype.

More internal scoffing. It wasnt like there was anyone who could REMOTELY capture his interest. Ah, well, he thought. Time to get in some last-minute training before his match with the Tigerdillos tonight.


	5. Chapter 5

He wasnt going to lie.

He was TERRIFIED.

For the first time in his life, he was honest-to-gods TERRIFIED.

He had just watched members of the Triad -including Shin- have their bending taken away by this freak in a mask who called himself Amon. And the line for his turn was getting shorter.

He had to get out of here. He COULDNT lose his bending to this freak! If only he could get his hands free, he would physically restrain him and snap his goddamned neck if need be-!

Before he knew it, he was on his knees on front of Amon, and those bending-thieving hands were getting closer.

_'I'LL KILL YOU FOR THIS!'_ he screamed in his head. _'I'LL KILL YOU!'_

Before his bending could be stolen, his brother and Korra arrived, caused a diversion, and pulled him to safety.

Perhaps she wasnt such a distraction after all, he thought.

As he was being carted off in the polarbear dog's mouth, he internally seethed at the helplessness of the situation.

_'Never again,'_ he thought. This would NOT happen AGAIN!


	6. Chapter 6

Bolin was feeling something he had never felt before.

_Happiness._

It was strange and new and kind of exciting, really.

_Korra._

Who would have guessed that the AVATAR, of all people, could have roused this new emotion from him? And really, how could she not? She was...well, PERFECT. There was no other term for it. She wasnt like the other girls. She didnt fawn over HIM. She fawned over the sport. The competitiveness. The adreneline.

She wasnt dainty at all. She looked ready to kick ass and break bones, and she actually DID. She wasnt girly, she was one of the guys. She spoke her mind, stood her ground, and wasnt afraid to break a nose if need be.

It got to the point where he ACTUALLY told his brother (who was going out with that gorgous piece of millionaire trust-fund ass Asami Sato, and thus HAD to know about these things) that he was thinking about Korra in 'a girlfriend sorta way'.

He found it weird that Mako would be against it, considering how he'd wished Bolin would stop getting caught up in the fangirl hype and get serious, but chalked it up to Mako taking things too serious again, this time with the tournament.

His attitude shifted a little into possessiveness when he found that Korra had asked his BROTHER out, and had been rejected, but instead, he put on his happy face and asked her out on a date.

When she said she would, and could use some fun, he felt a strange emotion throb in his heart.

It felt...nice.

So he nurtured that niceness and took her out to Narook's Seaweed Noodlery, since he had heard her complain that the Air Temple Island didnt serve the Water Tribe meals she was so used to. It made that nice feeling in his heart soar to see her enjoy her meal.

And of COURSE, that dickwad Tahno had to show up and make a move on HIS girl. He had persuaded Korra to not strike back, whilst thinking of a plan to have Tahno's limbs broken in an 'accident', when Korra whistled and summoned her polarbear dog Naga to scare the shit out of the ponce.

And for the first time, Bolin laughed. Truly laughed. Korra...she really WAS one of a kind. Really, who else would be so ingenious to humiliate the Waterbending ponce without violence, THEN beat him in a belching contest? It was almost too good to be true.

And really, it HAD to be, what with Mako screwing up the quarter-finals, and making Bolin step up his 'public' game to save their asses and win the match. He figured there was trouble in Millionaire Heiress Paradise, but didnt dwell on it. Instead, he thought long and hard about officially making Korra his own.

He thought he'd surprise her with a gift, and maybe some tickets to a show. Flowers...girls liked those, right? He picked out some pink ones, nothing too flashy, and pocketed the tickets before heading out to find her, his heart still throbbing with that wonderful feeling. He heard her voice around the corner and hurried over to proposition her...

...She was kissing his brother.

Korra...was kissing Mako.

...His heart...what was WRONG with his heart? Where was that wonderful feeling, and why was someone stabbing it instead!? He was aware they were looking now, and he couldnt help but do something he hadnt done since he was seven.

He cried.

He ran away.

He ran until his legs were too numb to run anymore, and willed his brain to stop playing what he had just seen on repeat, willed his heart to stop hurting. He turned and vomited into the alley, being brought back to his childhood.

_"Harden your heart."_

...He was a fool.

His fists clenched tightly, his jaw flexing from his teeth grinding. He had let his heart soften. He had allowed himself this...WEAKNESS! Unforgivable! Inexcusable!

He pulled the tickets out of his pocket and tore them to shreds, tossed the pieces to the ground, then stalked off to a bar. He needed drinks. NOW.

* * *

That was where Mako found him. Still slightly drunk, but mostly hungover, glaring with an anger he'd never shown had he NOT been inebriated, spouting off about 'brother-betrayal', and protesting when Mako practically carried him home. En route, Bolin allowed himself to cry. For the last time.


	7. Chapter 7

Outwardly, he wasnt too devistated about what had happened. Inwardly, he was a seething, wasted mess of fury and hatred. Mostly at himself, but the two-timing Avatar and the treacherous brother came in at a very close second.

The next Pro-bending match was almost a waste and a dud, and Bolin considered just skiving off this whole stupid game while he swam around in the pit, but for the sake of keeping up pretenses, he 'forgave' Mako for his perfidy, watched as Korra won the match, then sat quietly as he allowed her to heal his injured shoulder.

She apologized for what she had done, her blue eyes seeking acknowledgement. Bolin kept his head ducked just long enough to force the ice of hatred in his eyes to thaw into something passable by outward standards.

He told her he forgave her.

Just another pretense to keep up, was all.

No big.


	8. Chapter 8

Those damned Equalists and their freak of a leader were getting to be a REAL fucking nuisance.

He really wanted nothing more than to just cast off the mask in front of everyone and suggest simply KILLING the pests, but he wisely kept that desire to himself, as well as the desire to tear down the little fronts everyone ELSE kept up. It was SO refreshing to 'let slip' to Asami that Mako was stringing her along while REALLY being attatched to Korra, but now the little love-triangle was getting so ridiculously ANNOYING.

Between the teenage angst of his 'team', the Pro-Bending arena being destroyed, Asami's father being the financial supporter and provider of the Equalists, the revelation of Tarrlok being a Bloodbender, and the Equalist occupation of their new temporary home on Air Temple Island, Bolin's desire for bloodshed increased exponentially.

So much so, that during their time in the oh-so-lovely sewer, Bolin snuck out in Equalist garb during a shift change and began walking the city, rounding up some lone Equalists with false 'orders' for relocation, and pinned them down to the ground in the abandoned warehouse where he once lived, taking off his mask -both of them- and leering over thier forms.

"Impure Earthbending scum!" a female Equalist spat after he took off her mask. "Amon will cleanse you of your impurity and -!" She was cut off when Bolin crushed her left arm with the stone casing.

"AGAIN with this cleansing business," he griped, pacing in front of them. "You Equalists have been nothing but thorns in my side, you know? Making trouble for me and those twits I call friends, making me lose what LITTLE sanity I have after having to deal with all this!"

The Equalists were mostly shocked into silence, having known about the 'nice-guy' Bolin front, but were now faced with a ice-eyed, stone-cold 16-year-old with killing intent.

"You say we benders are impure," he went on, still pacing. "But the fact of the matter is, it's all a case of good ol' fashioned JEALOUSY. You people dont want to cleanse the world of bending! You just want to even the score because you WANT bending yourselves! And isnt that just a LITTLE hypocritical?"

"AMON WILL HAVE YOUR HEAD FOR THIS!" the woman screamed. Bolin shot her a glare at the interruption and flexed his hand, her other arm snapping, the bone protruding from her uniform.

"I'll have HIS head first, for trying to take my bending," he growled. "I'll rip it from his body and show it to you jealous pests so all this BULLSHIT can STOP once and for all!" Pause. "You know what?" He looked the others over before flicking his hand, the stone restraints releasing, much to their shock. "Just to show you I'm an EQUAL opportunity sport, I'm not even going to use my bending for this." He grinned, cracking his knuckles.

"Let's have some fun, shall we?"

* * *

"Hey, you okay?"

Bolin looked up from the coffee he was drinking to see Asami standing over him with a cup of her own, looking concerned. She might have reason to, considering his exhaustion of having to have manually broken the bodies of seven Equalists -which had taken a good while, but worth every moment- and then walking back without being seen.

He gave her a shaky smile that gave the illusion of being scared and jittery, but holding up.

"...Yeah," he said, taking another sip of coffee. "...I'm good."


	9. Chapter 9

Well, this was just FUCKING peachy.

Bolin, General Iroh, and Asami had been sneaking into the airbase, only to be electrocuted. Something he TOTALLY should have seen coming. Now they were in a prison with iron bars, and he wished now more than ever that he had taken the time to learning the trick to Metalbending.

...now even moreso when Hiroshi Sato was gloating at them, and wished for nothing more than to run the pompous bastard over with one of his own Satomobiles. Finally, the idiot left -and bless Asami's strong heart, she was a tough one to reject her own fater- and Iroh asked him if he could Metalbend.

"Wish more than ever I could," he muttered under his breath. Moments later, Naga bounded in and tore the bars to pieces with her own strength. Mounting up on her saddle, Bolin couldnt help but cockily proclaim, "Who needs Metalbending when we've got Naga?"

...Still, he made a mental note to learn Metalbending. It would certainly make his work easier, if not more enjoyable.

...who the hells was he kidding? He happily launched several boulders at Sato, who was close to eliminating his own daughter (_'GODS, that man is a HORRIBLE father!'_ he thought) and gave Asami a chance to take him out.

He made a note to get to know Asami a little better. That girl had potential.


	10. Chapter 10

If irony were strawberries, they'd all be drinking smoothies by now.

Amon was nothing more than a Bloodbender. A phoney. A self-hating Waterbender with daddy issues. And Tarrlok's brother, no, cant forget THAT nice little detail.

At least those smarmy pests learned of their savior's true intents before he vanished forever. GODS, he wished he had a camera to see their faces...

In addition, the phoney had still managed to get his bending-thieving hands on Korra, taking three out of four elements and leaving her with just Airbending.

Also ironic. He made a mention of it, saying that at least she still had THAT bending ability, but everyone else just looked at him like he'd told Pema a dead baby joke. Internally, he scowled. She had bending left, even it it was just ONE! It didnt make her any less an Avatar. She should be GRATEFUL she had at least THAT left.

Nevertheless, he kept those fuming muses to himself all the way to the South Pole, where the legendary Katara was even unable to restore the bending. As Korra ran away, Bolin watched as Mako tried to stop her, and overheard him proclaim his love.

Gag unto him with a spoon. Seriously. He glanced over and saw that Asami had seen and heard the same, and quelled the urge to pelt his brother in the head with a snowball inlaid with a large chunk of ice.

Instead, he turned his attention to Asami completely, noting that her eyes held the same stone coldness his did. Yes, he thought. He really WOULD have to get to know her better.


	11. Chapter 11

16 years, rigorous self-discipline of both the physical and spiritual aspects of bending, and STILL the whole Avatar thing eluded him. It was barely any time at all after Korra's departure to angst it up alone that an ethereal light shown in the distance, and soon after, Korra returned with news that she had achieved the Avatar State, with help from her past life.

And what was more, she could restore the bending of those who had it stolen from them using her new power of Energybending.

...Deux ex Machina, indeed. And here he thought the Avatar would have to work for it.

Still, he didnt complain, and was admittedly impressed with Lin Beifong's bending restoration.

He was heavily relieved when he returned home. The city was in ruins, benders and non-benders alike still wary of each other, and the Bloodbent benders crowded and mobbed to get their bending back once word got out that Korra could restore it.

The Council was convinced things would be alright. Korra and Mako were blinded by themselves and the Restoration. But Bolin could plainly see that the turf wars would start again. Benders would go crazy with their returned abilities. Ruckus would start. Lawlessness and anarchy would return to the streets.

The Triple Threat Triad would be reforged.

And Bolin would have more work to do.

Until then...

* * *

"Hey, need a hand with all this?" Bolin asked, giving Asami a strange grin. His voice was the same casual, carefree tone, but Asami saw that his eyes and his smile had changed.

They reflected her own ice-cold eyes and stony, fake, bitter smile.

Strangely enough, it suited Bolin just fine.

Asami glanced around at all the broken remnants of her father's devil work, having thought that she would have to do most of the moving and house-cleaning herself, since Mako and Korra were too busy to help, and most everyone else was too wary of her father's betrayal to really give her a helping hand.

She glanced back at Bolin, whose grin broadend expectantly, and felt a hint of a smile curl at her own lips.

"...Yes."

...Perhaps she could get to know this brother instead. He seemed to have a lot of...potential.

* * *

**I have a sequel planned, with full-length chapters called 'Titanium'. Look out for it.**


End file.
